Illinois prison lock down to continue amid search

CHESTER, Ill. — A state prison spokesman says the lockdown of Illinois' largest maximum security prison will continue "for days" after a cache of crude weapons and homemade alcohol was found there.

Tom Shaer said Sunday that the lockdown won't be lifted until a thorough search is completed of the Menard Correctional Center southeast of St. Louis.

The prison has been on lockdown since Friday's discovery of more than a dozen weapons along with gallons of homemade alcohol and juice and sugar used to make liquor. Shaer says besides the search, investigators are trying to determine how the inmates managed to hoard the items.

Shaer says there is no indication any weapons have been used recently at the prison or that inmates have been drinking homemade liquor.